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News flash: the new 2015 Kia Sedona minivan is NOT a full-size luxury sedan. After spending some time recently in a fully loaded 2015 Sedona SXL, however, I couldn’t help but compare the two expensive Kias, especially since my daily-driver is a K900 V-8. Kia says a full 30 percent of all minivans these days are $40,000 or more, suggesting this premium-ish 2015 Sedona pictured here isn’t quite as irrelevant as you think. So how does the $43,295 Sedona SXL (with the Limited Technology package) compare to my $66,400 K900 long-termer? Read on for some insights in this very informal comparison, and don’t miss the Motor Trend2015 Kia Sedona First Test for a full review.

Seats –Kia is proud of the fact that the Sedona SXL uses the same high-quality leather as the K900, and they should be. Except for some unnecessary orange stitching, however, the Sedona takes things more upscale with tasteful two-tone seats that feature white piping, to the K900’s black or available white leather.

Winner: Sedona

Transmission –Kia shied away from a column-mounted shifter on the Sedona, instead going with a traditional stalk on the center console to try and make people think “CUV” instead of “minivan.” As you’d expect for a vehicle that retails for around $27,000-$43,500, the stalk’s design isn’t as slick as the much more expensive K900 V-8’s, but you’ll find a useful manual gate with the minivan’s six-speed automatic and the luxury sedan’s eight-speed automatic. I wonder whether a Sport mode would be more helpful on the Sedona, though the car already offers regular, comfort, and eco modes (I wouldn’t mind a more aggressive Eco mode). Add in the K900’s electronic parking brake and the accompanying auto-brake-hold feature and this one should come as no surprise.

Winner: K900

Fuel Economy – EPA-observed fuel economy on the 2015 Kia Sedona depends on trim level. It’s 18/24 mpg city/highway for the L, LX, and EX; 18/25 for the SX that gets rack-mounted electric power steering, but only 17/22 mpg on the loaded SXL. That’s below the class leaders, and the same can be said about the K900 V-8’s 15/23 mpg. The Sedona’s 276 horses feel perfectly adequate for a minivan on the road, while as you’d expect, it’s easy to feel the benefit of the K900’s rear-drive layout and 420 horses.

Winner: Neither

Gee-Whiz Features – In the 20 years Kia has been in the U.S., the brand has been synonymous with value as well as offering features that were once considered luxurious on a mainstream brand. To that effect, for those privileged folks who go for the Sedona SXL, they’ll get heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, two sunroofs and a feature not even the K900 offers — so far. We’re talking about the automatic liftgate opening system on the Sedona; just have the key fob in your pocket and approach the liftgate, and in a few seconds it will slowly open. Then again, the more pricey K900 has full LED headlights that turn around corners, plus the previously mentioned auto-brake-hold feature. Both cars have the multi-camera parking system that allows the driver to see all around the car when pulling into a space, adjusted via a touchscreen on the Sedona.

Winner: Tie

Exterior Design – Kia is hoping the Sedona’s styling will help it thrive in the minivan segment, potentially attracting those who would otherwise get a less practical crossover. Though the bold-design strategy has been used before in the segment with varying degrees of success, we can tell you that, in person, the Sedona’s front grille details and rear-side window kink make a good impression, as does the SXL’s silver-colored trim piece on the lower rear fascia. Still, for those who are afraid of driving minivans (what’s the big deal?), that sliding-door track on the profile is something you’ll only see on a practical minivan, not a less roomy but more attractive crossover. As for the K900, I like the four-door styling — find a full rundown of my thoughts in this long-term update here.

Winner: K900, by a narrow margin

Overall – In our brief time behind the wheel of the Sedona SXL, we found it to be a solid, quiet people-mover and are eager to get more seat time in a more reasonably equipped model. Until then, we’re not about to crown a winner in a matchup between a luxury sedan and minivan, but both cars are solid, and can learn a little bit from the other.

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